Destiny Never Rests
by Bakura13
Summary: An Ancient Time of Pharaohs, shadow games and black magic is now starting to become troubled. Items stolen, blood is spilt and bonds of trust are tested as end approaches for those who possess the sacred sennen items...
1. Traps and Magic

Chapter 1 – Traps and Magic  
  
[This is somewhat of a story that takes place in ancient Egypt with the sennen items and such. This also somewhat describes the past with a bunch of people. So, enjoy oO; Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Yugioh.]  
  
The normally hot sands of ancient Egypt were slightly cooled by the stretching night that approached. Along with the darkness, was a lone girl who moved with the shadows silently. She trekked almost bare-footed if it was not for the thin sandals that she wore on her feet. As she entered the slumbering town that she was traveling to, she stopped to gaze at the spectacle before her. The grand palace of the pharaoh stood there with all its glory. There lived the High Priest and the Pharaoh himself. It was rumored if anyone looked up at the Pharaoh or the High Priest without permission, they would be punished or even slain. The girl sighed and shifted her weight to her other foot as she lightly pushed some of her long purple hair behind one of her ears. How she longed to live in a proper home without the worries of being looked down upon or being starved. But everyone must face the facts. The ones that had the 'good' life were the ones who lived at the palace. The rest were measly peasants who begged for any extra gold coins to feed their starving families or even to spend it on themselves selfishly.  
  
The girl spat on the ground quiet rudely, as if punishing it for letting her stop her voyage and then she continued walking, not taking her eyes off of the grand display that stood silently before her. As she approached the part of the town where the nobles lived, she looked at the long bladed weapon in her hand; that still had blood dripping off of it.  
  
'I have to hide this...' she thought to herself as she shifted her slightly red and purple eyes around the area.  
  
Carefully, she held the weapon in front of her, closing her eyes in concentration and very softly said a few words in the ancient language that she was taught. The golden weapon was cast in a golden hue then the light slowly disappeared as a single long, gold chain necklace; showing the sennen eye as its pendant. The girl opened her eyes and placed the piece of jewelry around her neck and continued on her way, not seeing a spying guard who was watching her. As soon as she exited the poverty-stricken district, the guard quickly ran towards the palace, preparing to tell the High Priest what he witnessed.  
  
The guard wasted no time to get to the palace. He ran into the gates, excusing himself when he bumped into other guards or slaves and made his way to the High Priest's room. He stopped in front of the door and tried to catch his breath as quickly as he could before he could present himself to the High Priest. He was about to knock on the door when the golden doors opened by themselves, showing the interior of the vastly decorated room with the High Priest himself, standing at one of the windows of his bedroom. The guard was frozen stiff with fear as the High Priest slowly turned around and glared at him with hard icy sapphire eyes that seemed to pierce into the very soul.  
  
"What is it now..." he asked in a cold and smooth tone. "And what have I warned you about disturbing me while I am in my chamber... I could hear you from the entrance of the palace..."  
  
"High Priest, sir. My sincerest apologies." Stuttered the guard as he slightly shrank back from the solid glare. "I have a very important issue that I had just witnessed myself."  
  
"If it is more peasants rebelling against the kingdom then I do not want to hear about it." Stated Seth sharply as he turned back towards the window. "If it is something else, then get on with it already..."  
  
"With all due respect, I provide the information of a young woman who uses black magic. She transformed a lethal weapon to a mere piece of jewelry in a matter of moments and a few words only spoken by sorcerers themselves, sir. The same eye insignia that is on the sacred items was the same one that was etched on the weapon and the necklace; it was dripping with the blood of the dead." Explained the guard as briefly as he could. "It only seems to be a simple peasant but I take it that she may be one of the few who are deciding to take down the palace single-handedly. I mean, you have heard about the towns that have been utterly ruined-"  
  
"Silence, you fool!" barked Seth as he spun on his heel and faced the shaken guard. "I have heard many rumors about those isolated incidents and I am familiar of what has happened. I do not think that a single young woman would dare to defy the High Priest nor the Pharaoh himself. Now leave before I decide to have you punished. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes, sir!" said the guard meekly as he stepped out of the chamber as fast as he could and closed the doors behind him.  
  
The tall brown-haired Priest narrowed his eyes and looked down upon the streets of the town. 'The sacred items that were stolen many moons ago... One has returned... I'll be waiting for the individual to arrive then. A trap shall be set.'  
  
Seth left his chamber, making sure that it was locked by the key; the sacred sennen rod, and walked towards the Pharaoh's chambers, keeping his gaze hard and straight ahead. He kept a straight face but slightly smirked as he thought out the fine details of his plan. He knew that the Pharaoh would be interested about the appearance of one of the stolen sacred items. He stopped in front of the Pharaoh's chamber and knocked on the door sharply, waiting for a reply.  
  
"You may enter," said a strong voice.  
  
Seth pushed the door open slowly and bowed slightly towards the Pharaoh. "Greetings, Yami."  
  
"Seth." Nodded Yami, as he watched the High Priest.  
  
"I have some very interesting news about one of the sacred items that were stolen not long ago." Began Seth, as he walked into the room, used to the delicate furnishings.  
  
"Oh really?" asked Yami as he cocked an eyebrow beneath the blonde, red and black locks of his spiky hair. "What pleasant news do you bring to me this evening?"  
  
"One of the guards hastily informed me about a finding of a young female who had possession of the item and was able to use black magic. Perhaps the shadow magic of the sacred item. He came to me first out of all due respect." Continued Seth as he crossed his arms over his robes.  
  
"That is quite alright. Please continue about this... sighting." Answered Yami as he got more interested with the subject.  
  
"Well, as I had stated earlier, the guard saw the female in the town and she had used magic to transform what seemed to be a lethal weapon into a necklace with a pendant. A pendant of the insignia of the sacred items and it was apparently sodden with blood of the dead."  
  
"Very interesting indeed," thought Yami out loud. "What do you have in mind yourself, Seth?"  
  
Seth hid his smirk but he knew that the Pharaoh could sense it. "I propose that we set a trap for the girl and capture her. Interrogate why she has that sacred item and how she got it. We cannot simply let an individual with a sacred item, wander freely without being questioned of how the item was obtained."  
  
"Quite strange but I have an idea that is quite similar to that. It is odd, that we think alike." Said Yami as he grinned slightly. "Prepare a group of guards and keep track of that girl. I want her to be brought here to be questioned."  
  
"As you wish, Pharaoh Yami." Finished Seth as he bowed once again and walked out of the room.  
  
Yami nodded and the guards quietly closed the doors to his chambers, and he walked towards his cushioned bed. "So the prophecies have spoken truth... there will be a gathering of all of the sacred items and turmoil will be set in motion. I must not let this take place."  
  
As the residents of the palace turned in for the night, the girl found a worn down inn that she could stay at for about seven gold coins; that she almost did not have on hand. It wasn't too expensive, nor was it cheap but she could at least sleep indoors and wash herself up before the new day. She paid for a room and took a wooden bucket and filled it with the water from a nearby well. It was to be used for her bath but it was better than nothing. The girl filled the basin with the water, stripped herself of her torn clothing and sat in the basin.  
  
"Gah, Ra damn it... it's freezing cold..." she hissed as she resisted the urge to jump out of the water and skip her bath.  
  
She washed herself and her clothing, and put her still cold and wet clothing back on. She went outside and drained the basins as they usually were after one has bathed and went back inside of her room, lying on her back on the cot and looking at the somewhat mud brick ceiling. She didn't really mind sleeping in wet clothing, as long as the wounds and scratches on her body were soothed and caused less irritation to her. She closed her eyes and fell asleep a short moment later, not knowing what was waiting for her within the next daybreak.  
  
The next thing that the girl knew was that some people were in her room and it was starting to agitate her very much.  
  
"Sleep well?" asked a cold-hearted voice right above her.  
  
She snapped her eyes open and saw the High Priest, standing beside the cot and looking straight down at her, smirking maliciously.  
  
'Oh shit!' she cursed silently as she crawled back quickly and bowed her head.  
  
There was no way that she was going to get her throat sliced for looking straight into the eyes of the High Priest or the Pharaoh.  
  
"Take her back to the palace immediately and bring her before the Pharaoh and I." commanded the High Priest as he turned and walked out of the room.  
  
The guards bowed as the priest was leaving then they seized the girl by her arms and legs, basically dragging her out of the inn, taking the little belongings that she had with them.  
  
"Let me go!" She protested as she tried to get freed.  
  
The guards did not release their grip until they were within the palace walls and out of the sight of the nobles and peasants that watched the scene. She was dropped in the throne room and was forced to kneel at spear- point.  
  
"That will be all, thank you." Commanded a voice from the far end of the room.  
  
The guards bowed and left the throne room, closing the large doors behind them.  
  
"So, this is the one that I have been told about." Said Yami casually as looked down upon the girl. "I am the Pharaoh of Egypt and I ask your name. Speak now."  
  
The girl remained silent while the High Priest's cold gaze glared down at her.  
  
"I will not repeat myself. State your name when I ask."  
  
"...I go by the name Sanura." Answered the girl spitefully.  
  
"Interesting... Your name goes by the meaning of kitten in the ancient language, does it not?" asked Yami curiously, keeping a straight face.  
  
Sanura nodded and glared at the floor. She was being treated like a useless mutt who had no owner.  
  
"Where is your slave master?" asked Seth as he shifted his weight to his other foot.  
  
"..."  
  
"When you are asked a question, you will answer! Understand girl?" growled Seth as he started walking towards her.  
  
Yami raised his hand for silence and Seth stopped his advancement. "There is no need to be quite rough and mistreating with this girl. She will be questioned individually. Seth, you may proceed with your interrogation alone, if you wish."  
  
Seth nodded and looked down distastefully at Sanura. "Come with me."  
  
Sanura reluctantly got up to her feet and followed the High Priest away from the throne room, keeping her head down. After a few minutes of walking, Seth stopped and Sanura almost walked right into him.  
  
"Sit." Commanded Seth as he motioned towards a wooden stool.  
  
Sanura did what she was told and looked at the floor, trying to ignore all the bright decorating that was all over the room. Her long purple hair fell over her face and thankfully it shadowed her eyes. She could feel her tanned skin starting to pale, if only slightly.  
  
"I have a few questions to ask you and you are going to answer them, understand?" asked Seth harshly as he grabbed Sanura's chin with a strong grip.  
  
She tried to nod but winced when Seth applied more pressure. "You speak unless I tell you otherwise."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Yes, what?" asked Seth as he extended his hand to Sanura's throat.  
  
"...Yes, sir."  
  
"Good. You are learning." Hissed Seth. "Now, I want to know where you came from and how you got that sacred item."  
  
"I don't know... look, you are hurting me! Let go!" snapped Sanura as she dared to defy the High Priest.  
  
The next thing that came was a sharp cuff across the side of her head, and knocking her off of the stool.  
  
"Rule one. Do not use that tone of voice and never defy me." Growled Seth as he walked over to the girl and looked straight down at her coldly. "Get up."  
  
Sanura started to get up and heard a startled gasp.  
  
"Just what in the hells are you!?" demanded Seth as he stared at the long cat-like tail that Sanura possessed.  
  
It was the same colour as her hair but it was twitching from time to time, just like a feline when it is angered.  
  
"To have a name meaning kitten but this cannot be in use so literally! Answer my question! What are you?" demanded Seth again as he roughly grabbed the collar of the torn shirt.  
  
"I don't know what I am! Don't touch me... please!" added Sanura quickly as she turned her gaze back towards the floor.  
  
Seth growled and pushed Sanura back, his eyes flashing an icy glare. "For this, you are not going to be released. Do not leave. I will be back in a VERY short while as I speak to the Pharaoh."  
  
And with that, Seth left, with his robes lightly trailing across the floor and the doors slamming shut. Sanura sighed, completely shaken and slid back to her knees. Never has she seen someone that angry. And for another fact, he was the High Priest. He could have her slain for her sheer defiance. She was trapped in the palace and was in deeper trouble than the deepest sand dunes that she ever saw. Sanura took the moment to glance around the room to see how much the rich were spoiled. She was amazed and never saw so much wealth so close to her. She got up and walked over to a dresser, lightly tracing her fingertips along the gold and jewel studded piece of furniture. She continued looking at everything in wonder while other things were going on elsewhere.  
  
In the throne room, Seth angrily walked in and bowed somewhat. "Pharaoh Yami. I ask for your permission to make this... girl my personal slave. She is not answering any questions and she will need to learn a few lessons."  
  
Yami interlaced his fingers together, while propping his elbows on the arms of the throne and looked at the High Priest in thought.  
  
"And what do you think that you will gain by this proposal?" asked Yami curiously as he slightly raised an eyebrow.  
  
"It seems that she trusts no one at all and she needs to learn many manners. I will personally see to it that she learns the ways of respect and that the questions, that we desire answers for, will be responded to." Explained Seth, as he tried to keep himself composed and calm.  
  
"Hmm..." Yami thought of his decision further. "I grant you that request but I do not intend on hearing about severe near death beatings. The sacred items have many powers and the girl may have registered the ability to tap into them."  
  
"If you can call her a girl..." muttered Seth under his breath.  
  
Yami's sharp hearing caught the sound of mumbling. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Nothing, your highness. I was just trying to clear my throat as politely as I could." Apologized Seth as he bowed.  
  
"Alright. You may continue with your interrogation. But remember, Seth. I want to hear no complains from the other slaves about your cruel behavior." Warned Yami as he narrowed his eyes slightly.  
  
"As you wish, dear Pharaoh." Said Seth as he backed out of the throne room and started walking back to his own chamber; where he left Sanura.  
  
Back in the High Priest's room, Sanura was still looking around in awe and did not hear the door slowly and almost silently open. Yet she definitely heard it slam shut and the sound of angry footsteps heading towards her. She spun around and unluckily came face to face with a smirking priest.  
  
"Alright, you've had your fun. I have gotten the permission to make you my personal slave and I am going to teach you how to respect people. Including ones of high rankings, my dear." Hissed Seth cruelly as he slowly traced a finger over Sanura's thin jaw line.  
  
Sanura was cornered and resisted the urge to cringe from the High Priest's touch, as much as she wanted to. And to make the grave situation worse, she could not do anything but be trapped and she was dangerously making eye contact with him. After about a minute or two, the High Priest backed off and grabbed new clothing that the slaves wore around the castle yet it was a little more formal.  
  
He tossed the robes towards Sanura and crossed his arms. "If you treat me like the way you prefer to be treated, I will treat you the same. Just remember that, slave. If you keep defying me, your master will punish you. If you do what I say then you will be rewarded. Understand?"  
  
"...Yes, master. I understand completely." Said Sanura in a low tone as she looked distrustfully at the clothing that she was given.  
  
"Now go get dressed and perhaps I will bring you something to eat, seeing that you have not eaten yet this day." Said Seth as he started walking towards the door.  
  
Sanura quickly changed into her new clothing, fearing that someone was watching and stood silently in the High Priest's chamber, waiting for his return somewhat obediently...  
  
[And that is Chapter one somewhat reedited because of stupid grammar mistakes that I missed. I think I missed a few still...] 


	2. Venom and The Arrangement

Chapter 2 – Venom and The Arrangement  
  
[The character Badru that will be appearing later, is a role-play character of Tora-kun. It is her character and I asked her permission to use this  
character in the story and such. Disclaimer: I own nothing of yugioh!  
Even if I wanted to! Oo]  
  
Seth stopped at the Pharaoh's throne room and bowed in respect. "Greetings Pharaoh Yami. I have returned to ask but a request of you."  
  
Yami looked at Seth. "And what else would you like to have permission for, High Priest Seth?"  
  
"To make this as brief as possible, I would like to go through the ritual of basically... marking the female as my slave." Explained Seth as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Yet I do not wish to brand the markings on her arm or with a piece of jewelry which states that she is mine."  
  
Yami tensed in his throne and sat up a bit. "But is she not too young to be... handled that way, Seth?"  
  
Seth could feel the embarrassment rise up from the words that the pharaoh had said. "Not that way, your highness. I only mean the markings of ink that are inserted underneath her skin. But I would prefer the markings to be placed on her neck."  
  
"Her neck?" asked Yami cautiously as he cocked an eyebrow. "That is a little dangerous, is it not? There are many errors which could happen such as she wakes up from unconsciousness, the tool that is used to draw the ink could kill her if a blood vessel is punctured."  
  
Seth nodded. "I know of the dangers, Yami. If I have permission to do so, I am going to take extreme measures to make sure that those things do not happen. I also have a feeling that the gods will protect her from any harm."  
  
Yami rubbed his chin and looked off at the ceiling. "Hmm... as you wish, Seth. But I caution you, if anything goes wrong I am not responsible for what happens. You know what precautions must be taken. Now who, may I ask, will be preparing the female for the arrangements of this marking?"  
  
"I will take the position in doing so. I request no help from any of the slaves unless I need to." Stated Seth slowly.  
  
Yami's head snapped back down and he looked at the High Priest. "...This is a very dangerous procedure, as I have said before. I surely hope that you know what you are doing, Seth. But you must also make sure that she does not get excited, agitated or panicked before and after. The rushing of the blood may interfere with the marking ceremony. She must remain calm and immobile during the procedure and after, while the ink settles in permanently."  
  
"This shall be done at the peak of the night and no later." stated Seth as he uncrossed his arms and turned to walk out of the throne room. "I thank you for agreeing, Yami. I will return with the full details later so no errors are made."  
  
Yami simply nodded and went back to looking at the old scroll that he was reading, as Seth left the room.  
  
Back in Seth's chambers, Sanura nervously and shamefully waited for the return of her new master. She dared not wander around or walk out of his chambers for her own curiosity.  
  
'How do I get myself into these things...' thought Sanura as she sighed mentally.  
  
Seth returned to his chambers with a small tray of food and put it in Sanura's hands. "Eat quickly and follow me. But you better not still have food in your mouth when we leave the palace. Follow me, slave."  
  
Seth walked out of his chambers and looked back at Sanura as she refused to eat the food that was given to her and she simply followed her new master at a respectful distance.  
  
"Suit yourself..." said Seth as he continued walking. "You will not last a day's work without any nourishment. Yet it is your choice, is it not?"  
  
Sanura stayed silent and kept her head bowed as they both entered the main hallway. She hunched her shoulders a little as some of the guards stared at her and the High Priest.  
  
'What are they staring at us for...' thought Sanura to herself silently. 'It's bad enough that I was humiliated before...'  
  
The High Priest stepped outside into the bright sunlight and Sanura had to shield her eyes, trying to get used to the brightness. She didn't notice that the High Priest had stopped and she walked right into him.  
  
"I... err... sorry, master." mumbled Sanura as she backed off a couple of paces.  
  
Seth narrowed his eyes and continued walking through the gates, to the town. "Keep up and pay attention..."  
  
Sanura nodded silently and continued to follow the High Priest, almost blindly. They stopped at an interesting shop which sold different types of inks, scrolls and other items which Sanura could not see.  
  
"Wait here." commanded Seth as walked further into the store, towards the vast collection of inks.  
  
Sanura clasped her hands behind her back and stole a glance around the shop. 'Why would he be here? Doesn't he have enough of these things at the palace?'  
  
Seth spoke to the shop keeper and said something that Sanura couldn't hear.  
  
"Right away, sir. I'll ask my assistant to fetch it for you." said the man as he told the child assistant what to get and shooed him off. "It'll be a few minutes so you may browse around the shop, if you wish."  
  
Seth crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, glancing at Sanura. 'How am I going to accomplish the procedure without her getting suspicious...'  
  
Sanura's head snapped up as she thought she heard something. She looked at the High Priest and saw that he was looking straight at her. She lowered her head quickly and scanned the floor with her eyes.  
  
'Did I just... hear what the high Priest was saying? Thinking?' thought Sanura nervously. 'But... how? What is he thinking of? What procedure?'  
  
She could feel a drop of sweat slide down her face as the day approached high noon. Sanura wasn't just nervous; she felt like she was boiling to death. The clothing that she was given started to feel uncomfortable and too warm as a sick feeling started bothering her in the pit of her stomach.  
  
'Maybe I should have eaten when I had the chance,' thought Sanura silently. 'I'm not feeling too well at the moment...'  
  
She shifted her gaze to focus on something else and saw a table that had sharp objects, used to write with ink. 'Is he just getting things to... write with? Is this the procedure that he was talking about? Getting...bits and pieces?'  
  
"Here is what you requested, sir" said the shopkeeper as he handed Seth a cloth bag that contained special fine bottles of ink.  
  
Seth paid the shopkeeper a few gold coins and he gratefully took the money. "Thank you for your services..."  
  
He walked up to Sanura and watched her uneasily shift her weight to her other foot.  
  
"You look a bit pale, my dear," said Seth smugly as he crossed his arms. "Feeling a bit ill, are we?"  
  
Sanura mumbled almost inaudibly. "No... I'm fine."  
  
"Well, you better be because there are more items that I must fetch. Come along now." said Seth as he handed Sanura the bag and walked out of the shop.  
  
Sanura sighed heavily and followed her master, trying not to think about the intense heat that was beating down on her as she stepped outside. She continued to follow him and waited while he shopped for various items. It was getting to the point that Sanura could not stand the heat anymore, not forgetting about the endless walking and stopping that they had to do throughout the market place. Finally, Seth stopped in a store that felt a lot cooler than the outside air.  
  
"You may sit down and cool off. I must speak with the shop keeper about something and do not leave or steal anything, understand?" asked Seth coldly, not minding the heat at all.  
  
Sanura nodded barely as she sat down tiredly. She felt weak, boiling hot and most of all, hungry. Sanura put the bags of items that the High Priest had purchased beside her then pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her arms and her head.  
  
'I hate this... too much walking.' she thought, with much regret.  
  
She sighed quietly and closed her eyes, listening to the random chatter that went on in the shop. She could hear Seth's voice but she didn't pay attention to the words.  
  
"I wouldn't fall asleep there, if I were you." said a smart alec voice.  
  
Sanura half opened one eye and she saw a tall man looking down at her. It wasn't the High Priest that was for sure. The man had somewhat short frizzy hair which was black, and had a white stripe down the middle. The top of his hair was short, while the back was longer and it had white braids that fell to the bottom of his shoulder blades. His skin was fairly tanned and what bothered Sanura the most about him was the fact that the man had yellow eyes.  
  
"Go away... " Muttered Sanura as she closed her eye tiredly and her brain started shutting down.  
  
"Well, nice to meet you too." Sighed the man. "My name is Badru. Who the hell are you?"  
  
"It's none of your business... go away and leave me alone." mumbled Sanura a little more agitatedly  
  
"There's a snake behind you." Said Badru. "If you don't move, it's going to bite you."  
  
Sanura growled and stayed where she was, not caring of the warning of the strange-looking man until she heard a hissing sound. She snapped open her eyes and turned her head slowly, seeing a poisonous cobra behind her, with its fangs bared. Sanura got up quickly as the serpent lunged to bite her neck but it managed to sink its poison-soaked fangs into her shoulder. She winced immensely and yelled a bit as she threw the serpent back at the shelves that she was sitting by and stepped away from there, holding her shoulder.  
  
"I told you so." Said Badru in an annoying tone, not bothering to help. "But no one listens, now do they?"  
  
The shop keeper and Seth ran up to the two.  
  
"What in Ra's name is going on here?" demanded Seth.  
  
Badru shrugged. "That chick was falling asleep and she was being pretty rude. I told her a snake was behind her and that it would bite her and it did no surprise. Shows how much people listen to me."  
  
"Oh dear! My sincerest apologies!" said the shop keeper as he ran towards the shelves and picked up the snake carefully, tossing it back in a wooden cage. "I did not know that this one escaped from the cage. This is the same one that had entered the town and it sneaked into my store and I caught it earlier today. Once again, I am so sorry for what has happened! You mustn't let the girl panic or the venom will spread more quickly! It was fortunate enough that the cobra bit her on her shoulder but the poison will have to be removed from the bite before we can give her anti-venom!"  
  
"Sorry to break up the apologetic speech but the chick is somewhat tilting over, you know." Pointed out Badru rudely. "If I didn't know better, she's gonna fall asleep and die if you two would care to stop babbling on about stuff."  
  
Seth turned his gaze towards Sanura and regrettably found that the strange man was right. He walked over to Sanura and put an arm on her other shoulder and around her waist, trying to steady her.  
  
"I... don't feel...too good..." muttered Sanura as her knees started giving out.  
  
"Don't let yourself fall," commanded Seth as he looked towards the bite cautiously. "Try to stay conscious and keep talking to me, understand?"  
  
"Sheesh! You are like ordering her around as if she was a dog and you expect her to listen? She's hanging on the edge, here." Sighed Badru sarcastically. "You better get that damned poison out of her soon or she's gonna die."  
  
"Silence!" snapped Seth as he glared at Badru. "If I wanted to hear your opinion, I would have asked for it! Now! Is there any other way of extracting the venom in its place of the standard way?!"  
  
Badru shook his head and folded his arms behind his head. "Nope. You have to suck the venom out then spit it out as fast as you can. Then you gotta wash out your mouth with a hell of a lot of water to make sure that you don't swallow the venom and poison yourself to your grave. And you gotta put a cold or at least soaked cloth to keep the bite cooled down"  
  
Seth looked back at Sanura, seeing that she was fading fast and she was starting to lose her balance again.  
  
"Look. The venom is pretty damned strong and you better get it out before she keels over. There is no choice unless you want her to die." Stated Badru.  
  
The shop keeper's assistant brought two bowls, one was empty to spit the poison out and one was full of water with a cloth soaking in it. Seth carefully moved the material of Sanura's shirt that was covering her shoulder, and exhaled slowly.  
  
'This is just... standard. Just don't swallow the venom.' Reassured Seth to himself.  
  
Then Seth started the careful process of extracting the venom from the serpent bite as cautiously as he could. He could slightly taste the sharp essence of blood but as soon as he felt the bitter taste of snake venom, he immediately spat it out in the bowl.  
  
"Ugh. Please, my innocent sight has been ruined by that scene. It didn't really look like you were getting that damned poison out. It looked like you were biting her or something 'else'. Whatever it looked like, you looked like you were enjoying it." shuddered Badru.  
  
Seth washed his mouth out with some water then made sure that were was no more poison remaining in the wound before placing the cold cloth on it.  
  
"EY! She's falling asleep! Pardon me for what I'm about to do." Yelled Badru as he walked up to Sanura. "Don't mind this at all."  
  
Then he slapped her across the face quite hard. Seth tensed but was slightly relieved as Sanura's eyes somewhat snapped open but it didn't last long.  
  
"Hurry." Said the shop keeper as he held up a medium-sized dark bottle and a smaller, almost vile-like container. "Get her to drink this slowly and space out the portions so it will flush out the rest of the venom in her bloodstream then use the smaller bottle to treat the wound."  
  
Seth took the bottles and attached them to a string on his waistband. "Thank you."  
  
"There is no need to pay for those items. Seeing the girl live was enough credit, High Priest sir." Said the shop keeper as he bowed sincerely.  
  
Seth put one arm around Sanura's back and slid his other arm under her knees, lifting her up carefully. "You will speak of this to no one, understand?"  
  
"Yes, sir." Said the shop keeper as he directed his assistant back behind the counter. "Not a word will be uttered."  
  
"Man, if I didn't know better, I swear that you're getting a little clingy towards her, aren'tcha?" asked Badru.  
  
"You there!" Seth snapped at him. "Pick the bags over there and follow me towards the palace. I will speak to you after the first dose of the anti- venom has been given to the girl... if you don't, I'll have you killed."  
  
Badru put up his hands defensively. "Okay, whatever you say. You're the boss with the power to kill me."  
  
Seth muttered a few inaudible words under his breath and walked out of the shop. Badru was soon following, while balancing the bags in his arms.  
  
"What? No thanks for me? Well sheesh! I feel admired." Muttered Badru ungratefully.  
  
"You aren't. Now keep your Ra damned mouth shut or I shall kill you right now." Growled Seth as he glared icily back at Badru.  
  
"Alright! Shutting mouth!" said Badru then he kept silent.  
  
Seth looked down at Sanura and tried to keep her awake long enough. "Keep your eyes open. We're almost back at the palace then you can sleep until you are well again."  
  
"What's in these bags anyways?" asked Badru, forgetting the earlier threats that were given to him.  
  
"I said be QUIET, you impudent fool! One more sound out of you, and I'll have you tormented, burned AND slaughtered!" snapped Seth, losing almost all of his patience.  
  
Badru yelped a bit and did not say another word until they entered he palace. Seth carried Sanura to his chambers and gentle placed her on the silk sheets. He uncapped the larger bottle and tilted her head back a bit.  
  
"Alright. One more thing then you can sleep." Said Seth as he tapped her face a bit. "Just stay conscious for one more moment."  
  
Sanura half opened her eyes and slightly looked up at Seth tiredly. Seth carefully and slowly poured the serum down her throat then recapped the bottle, putting it on the dresser with the other one. He sat down on the edge of the bed and softly stroked the top of Sanura's head as she fell asleep.  
  
'I do feel sorry for her being bitten like that, after all the shopping that was being done today. But she should have eaten something prior to our departure; otherwise the situation wouldn't have been so dangerous.' Thought Seth to himself. 'Even though this was not meant to happen, it may come to my advantage. If she sleeps for the rest of the night, until tomorrow, then the marking task can be completed without any troubles.'  
  
Badru cleared his throat a bit and Seth turned around to look at him.  
  
"Oh right... I was to speak to you." Said Seth quietly. "Set those bags on the table over there, and then follow me towards the Pharaoh's chambers."  
  
'Well, I guess I'm gonna have to see the big head honcho around here. Maybe if I'm lucky, I can sell some stuff here.' Thought Badru as he dropped the bags on the table.  
  
"Careful with those!" snapped Seth, trying to keep his voice quiet. "There are fragile items in there!"  
  
Badru jumped a bit the scratched his head nervously. "Sorry!"  
  
"Go out into the hall and wait while I gather a few things." Commanded Seth as he looked down at Sanura once more.  
  
Badru did what he was told but not without a few mutters. "What a creepy person... and I bet that's his disturbing girlfriend as well."  
  
Seth tensed but chose to ignore the comment and keep his temper down. 'She looks so naive, less defiant than she was before when she was first brought here. I hope that nothing goes wrong with this procedure...'  
  
He sat there for a while longer, then he got up and gathered a few items from the bags and walked out of his room, quietly closing he door behind him and leading Badru towards the Pharaoh.  
  
[Chapter 2... Indeed, tis weird but pretty damned good for a person who types up a story with a now messed up hand x.x Reedited for grammar errors as usual.] 


	3. Confusing Trust

Chapter 3 – Confusing Trust  
  
[I see, Tora... oO Disclaimer: I own nothing.]  
  
A few hours. That was all that had passed since the High Priest left his chambers, taking the strange yellow-eyed man towards the Pharaoh's throne room. Sanura was slowly recovering from the venomous snakebite then she slowly opened her eyes, feeling dizzy.  
  
"What... the hell," she said out loud as she rubbed her eyes with one hand.  
  
She started to sit up but winced as she felt the throbbing pain in her right shoulder. Sanura clutched her shoulder and yelled a bit, feeling her injured shoulder increase in pain. One of the slaves that was passing by the high priest's chambers heard the yell and opened the door, knowing that he would be punished.  
  
"Are you alright in there?" asked the boy, who had blonde hair. "Oh. You must be the one that the High Priest and Pharaoh were talkin about."  
  
Sanura looked up at the slave. "I'm... err... fine, I think."  
  
The blonde haired boy walked into the room, after making sure that the coast was clear and stuck his hand out towards Sanura. "The name's Joseph. I would introduce ya to my sis but she's working for the Pharaoh right now. Who might you be, hm?"  
  
Sanura looked at Joseph cautiously, noting that his honey-like eyes were almost matching with his hair colour. She gently shook his hand with her free hand.  
  
"I'm Sanura..." she said quietly. "Aren't you going to get-"  
  
"In trouble?" asked Joseph as he grinned. "Hell ya. I always get into all sorts o trouble here. But I'm used to the punishments, anyway. A whip won't stop me...that much. And besides, I'm the only thing my sis got left. I don't think that they are THAT heartless to take what's left of her family away from her. So, what happened to you? I heard that you are the High Priest's newest personal slave. That can be pretty scary if you think about it, you know?"  
  
"...I haven't thought about it...that way." Answered Sanura nervously as she started to get out of the bed. "I was bitten by a snake...in the market when the High Priest was shopping..."  
  
"'Ey, then you shouldn't be gettin up, now should you? You are lookin pretty pale at the moment and I don't think yer master wants you walkin about." Pointed out Joseph as he put his hand out to stop her.  
  
Sanura muttered. "I don't need anyone telling me what to do...I feel fine."  
  
"Well, someone's mood changes quite a bit. If you say so then." Shrugged Joseph. "Say...did you see some weird lookin guy with funny looking braids around here? I saw him being led by yer master. I think he's gonna get in big trouble, from my opinion."  
  
"That's...the guy that was being an idiot...in the shop." Answered Sanura as she rubbed her shoulder painfully.  
  
"Seems like my lucky day to meet people. Uh oh." Said Joseph as he looked back towards the hallway as he heard a short warning whistle. "My buddies are giving me the word of warning. Looks like yer master is comin' back...see ya around, Sanura."  
  
Then he left as quickly and as quietly as he could, trying not to be noticed all that much. Sanura started to walk towards the door but her exit was blocked when a completely shocked High Priest stood in the doorway.  
  
"What are you doing up?" he asked Sanura as he searched her face for an answer.  
  
"I...err...just got up, master." mumbled Sanura as she watched him carefully.  
  
"You shouldn't be up, or even walking around at the very least. No matter...go sit on the bed and lower the sleeve on your bitten shoulder. I forgot to put the anti-venom treatment on your bite wound earlier. It will get infected if I don't put it on there." Explained Seth as he walked over to the small table and got the smaller bottle, along with some bandages and a short cloth.  
  
Sanura swallowed the lump in her throat nervously as she sat back down cross-legged on the middle of the bed and thought about what Joseph had said. She was the High Priest's personal slave and her mind started wandering off to the bad possibilities. She jumped a bit when she felt a hand on her shoulder and saw the High Priest looking at her, with an eyebrow raised.  
  
"You're trembling, do you know that?" he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and started unraveling the cloth bandages. "I told you that you shouldn't have got up..."  
  
Sanura nodded slightly and kept her gaze towards the sheets that covered the bed.  
  
'This is going to be a problem...' thought Seth as he carefully started to pour a bit of the anti-venom medicine on the cloth.  
  
Sanura fearfully looked at the High Priest and spoke barely in a whisper. "What... is going to be a...problem?"  
  
Seth stopped what he was doing and focused his sapphire eyes on Sanura's face. "...What did you just say?"  
  
"...You said...this is going to be a problem..." answered Sanura as she started getting more nervous.  
  
Seth narrowed his eyes slightly but resumed his task. He placed the cloth on Sanura's shoulder and scowled when she jumped.  
  
"Hold still." He said in a low tone. "It is not supposed to burn that much."  
  
Sanura bit her lip nervously as she waited for the High Priest to stop bandaging her shoulder.  
  
"Lift your arm," ordered Seth as he held the rest of the bandages in his hand. "I have to finish this and then we'll talk........."  
  
Sanura did what she was told then pulled her sleeve back up quickly as soon as Seth was finished.  
  
"Your food is in the kitchens...I'll get someone to fetch it for you and you have quite a bit of explaining to do." Growled Seth as he ordered one of the nearby guards to the kitchens.  
  
Sanura sat quietly and gently tugged at robes she was wearing, keeping her eyes down. 'What does he want me to say? I don't know what he's talking about...'  
  
The two sat in silence as she could feel his burning stare upon her. The short while seemed to be longer than intended when finally the food try was brought into the High Priest's chamber. Sanura gently took an apple from the tray and was about to take a mouthful when she felt a strong grip on her chin.  
  
"Hold still a moment." Said Seth as he turned Sanura's head to look at him. "What are these?!"  
  
Seth studied Sanura's front teeth especially. Her canines were sharp and animal-like. He narrowed his eyes and let go of Sanura's chin, then crossed his arms.  
  
"First of all, a tail of a cat, then your not yet to be explained ability to hear more things than intended... and now animal fangs." He said in thought.  
  
Sanura looked back down and ate the apple quickly, and then put her arms back at her sides.  
  
Seth looked at her. "Start explaining yourself; where you came from, what you are, what you can do...."  
  
Sanura sighed uneasily and started explaining. "I'm not exactly... complete human being fabric, as you have already witnessed. I was born this way and..."  
  
Seth narrowed his eyes when she stopped. "And what. Keep talking, girl."  
  
"...I can hear your thoughts... anyone's thoughts. I don't know why or how, but it was one of my special abilities I could do when I was small. First I dismissed it but it actually came in handy." Said Sanura, as if talking to herself.  
  
"And what about the item you have. It is one of the missing sacred items, you know." Cut-in, Seth. "How did-"  
  
"I was given it when I was young, found out how to use it." Continued Sanura, not even listening to Seth. "I can cast only a few spells of black magic, yet healing magic is my weakest point."  
  
Seth looked out the window of his chambers, thinking. "I would like to ask you something."  
  
Sanura looked up, feeling surprised yet scared to think what the High Priest was asking for.  
  
"Do you trust me completely?" he asked, turning his gaze to match Sanura's.  
  
Sanura very much wanted to lower her gaze so she wouldn't be staring, but she couldn't help it. "O-of course I do, master..."  
  
"No, not as my slave." Sighed Seth. "As you. Do you trust me entirely?"  
  
"I...err..." Sanura stumbled over her words. "Yes, I do t-trust you."  
  
Seth nodded then stood up. "Good. Now, go to dungeons and bring water to the strange man from earlier. Tell the guards that personally gave you permission, but not to let him out. That is the pharaoh's decision. And do not let yourself forget to take a dose of the anti-venom. You must take some now then before you sleep tonight."  
  
"As you wish, master." Answered Sanura as she slid off of the bed carefully.  
  
Seth uncrossed his arms slowly and leaned back on his elbows on the bed, watching her down a small portion of the remedy. He watched her leave his chambers nervously, catching her gaze when she side-glanced back at him. He ran his fingers through his hair and let the head-piece fall back on the bed.  
  
'So she trusts me.' He mused to himself. 'This procedure shall not go wrong.'  
  
Sanura hurried down the hallway, feeling quite nerve-wracked that the High Priest was so curious. She fetched a deep bowl of water, despite the protests of the cooks and made her way towards the dungeons. She pulled up the bottom half of her robes slightly to prevent herself from hurling down the steps towards the dungeon, as the windows were no where to be seen and the torches lit up the stairway. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she could hear a long string of curses coming from the cell area.  
  
"Gods damn it! What the hell did I do?!" yelled a man from his cell.  
  
Sanura walked towards the cell, taking a short glance at the other ones. Empty.  
  
'The Pharaoh must have killed them...' she thought to herself, shuddering.  
  
She approached the cell and looked at the man inside it. It was the same one that she saw in the market before the snake bite. Badru.  
  
"You!" Badru said. "Get me out of here! I've done nothing! All I said was a few things here and there and that if the Pharaoh would spare my life, I would give him something very valuable!"  
  
Sanura blinked and slid the water through the bottom half foot space of the door. "What did you plan on offering him?"  
  
Badru huffed, picking up the bowl. "A long while ago, I found this gold item that looked like it was worth quite a bit. Some weird white-haired man had it and he wouldn't even talk to me! All he said was his name was Bakura and he had this long scar down the side of his face. So, while the nut was sleeping this one night I sort of swapped it from him."  
  
One of the guards side-glanced at Badru then looked back forward. "For one who is offering something of great fortune, you do not seem grateful that your life was spared."  
  
"Hey! He could have been a bit nicer to me, that's all! At least some better hospitality." Growled Badru as he started drinking the water.  
  
The guard shook his head and went back to his post. Sanura blinked again, more slowly this time to clear her head.  
  
Badru gave her a weird look. "You're not going to pass out again, are you? I swear, this is like déja-vu or something eerie like that."  
  
"Oh, no. I'm fine." Answered Sanura, gently rubbing her healing shoulder.  
  
"If you say so. Say, can you get me out of here? This place isn't the best, you know."  
  
"..."  
  
"Hey, just asking." Badru shrugged. "I know I'm stuck in here until I give the king what he wants. And right now, I don't have it on hand. So... how do you like being the Priest guy's slave, hm?"  
  
"What kind of a question is that?" Growled Sanura, narrowing her eyes.  
  
"Nothing really. It's just seem that you two seem to be a little close, I guess."  
  
Sanura's back stiffened as she felt a presence behind her and noticed that Badru went quiet. She felt a strong pair of hands rest on her shoulders and direct her towards the stairs. She glanced back slightly then put her eyes forward again, seeing the High Priest.  
  
"When the pharaoh sees you, keep your eyes down and your mouth shut." Seth spoke softly to her.  
  
Sanura nodded, almost dumbly, and allowed the High Priest to guide her to the Pharaoh's chambers. A few slaves that the two passed by were glancing at them then averted their eyes, whispering to each other.  
  
'Did I miss something?' Sanura asked herself in thought.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when the doors were opened to a much more furnished chamber, with the Pharaoh standing within it.  
  
"As you requested, Pharaoh, I have brought the girl for your final inspection." Said Seth to Yami.  
  
Sanura's heart almost jumped into her throat when she heard those words. 'Inspection?'  
  
She kept her gaze down as she was told and saw the Pharaoh's feet when he approached her. She almost jumped when his hand tilted her chin up and he was looking at something.  
  
"Seth, are you sure about this?" Yami asked, raising an eyebrow slowly. "Something does not look quite right. Girl, straighten your back."  
  
Sanura's eyes searched the ceiling for an answer of what the two were talking about. She swallowed nervously and did was she was told, feeling her neck start to strain from being in that position.  
  
"I've went through every step carefully and I am quite positive that it can be done without fault." Answered Seth, nodding.  
  
"It's this area which troubles me." Yami said, gently brushing his fingers along the sides of Sanura's throat.  
  
Sanura's hand twitched from the Pharaoh touching her and she swallowed hard once again.  
  
"Hmm... she is just tense. The blood is rushing through her veins quite quickly. She should be tranquil by then. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?" Seth asked.  
  
"Nothing more, Seth. You may commence whenever you see fit." Yami dismissed them.  
  
Seth nodded and guided Sanura back into the torch lit hallways. Sanura's curiosity was starting to bother her quite and she had to speak.  
  
"Master," she started, getting his attention. "What are you... going to do?"  
  
Seth shook his head slowly and reentered his chambers. "Don't worry about it. Right now, you have to worry about eating and resting until the bite wound stops hurting. I asked you to trust me for a good reason and you should be not curious about it until I feel it is the right time to tell you, understand?"  
  
Sanura nodded, disappointed that she did not get her answer and if the High Priest was thinking, he was probably being quite careful at that. She looked up when Seth cleared his throat and motioned towards the bed.  
  
"You need your rest. I'll ask for tea to be made, it will make you feel less nervous." said Seth as he walked out of his chambers, leaving Sanura alone once again.  
  
She looked around cautiously and stayed where she was. Meanwhile, Seth waited in the kitchens for the tea to be prepared and watched the last of the cooks with a glare.  
  
"Leave. Now." Ordered Seth as he watched the last two cooks run out of the kitchen in a hurry.  
  
He took one last glance around the kitchen to make sure he was alone, and then he pulled out a small pouch from a folded compartment in his robes. He carefully poured most of the powder-like substance into the tea and stirred it slowly with a spoon. Once the substance was dissolved in the hot tea, Seth hid the pouch away and carried the cup of tea back to his chambers. He's eyes swept over his empty room, not seeing his slave there. Puzzled, yet getting irritated, he set the tea by the bottles on the small table and closed the doors to his chambers quietly, letting his eyes wander around the room; searching every visible nook and shadow.  
  
"Shall I ask what you are hiding from?" asked Seth out loud, stepping almost silently towards the bed.  
  
He stopped at the edge of it, lowering his eyes to the bottom edge of the bed. He snapped his gaze over to the window and saw that Sanura was seated on the windowsill, making it almost look as if she was hesitating to jump off of the edge. He strode over quickly and draped his arms around Sanura from behind, grasping her tightly enough so she would not slip and fall.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked, pulling her back slightly and wondering why he had not noticed her there in the first place.  
  
Sanura's cheeks started reddening from the High Priest being so close. "Master, I...uhm... wanted to see the sky from a h-higher point of view. I'll get down now."  
  
Seth loosened his grip slightly, bringing one arm across Sanura's upper body and rest his hand on her wounded shoulder. "It is striking, isn't it."  
  
Sanura shifted nervously, finding it very odd that the High Priest was being so sensitive towards her. She felt herself behind pulled off and away from the windowsill until her feet were back on solid floor.  
  
"Now go on and drink what I've brought you. Then I shall explain what has been kept from you today." Said Seth as nodded his head towards the table.  
  
Sanura gentle held the beverage in her hands and sat on the bed. She was about to take a sip from it when she noticed the tea smelled peculiar. She wrinkled her nose slightly and looked down at it, seeing nothing really wrong with it but the aroma was...unusual; never having tea in her life.  
  
The hesitation caught Seth's attention. "Is something wrong?"  
  
Sanura shook her head and started drinking the beverage slowly. She side- glanced towards the window; only to find the High Priest not standing there. When she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, she bent forward and coughed from inhaling some of the warm beverage. She felt the High Priest's hand gently pat her back.  
  
"My, you are quite nervous this evening." Noted Seth as he pulled Sanura back up. "You'll feel... better later on."  
  
Sanura finished drinking the tea and placed the cup back on the night table. She shifted towards the middle of the bed, pulling her knees up to her chest.  
  
"As I promised, I am going to tell you what has been going on around you." Started Seth as he lightly touched Sanura's wounded shoulder. "What I have planned to do this night is to go through a ritual to mark you that you are my slave, and no one else's. No one will touch you or harm you unless they want to be punished severely."  
  
Sanura listened partly and looked down at the sheets of the bed. 'If it's only a marking thing then I don't really have to worry about it...'  
  
"The Pharaoh was making sure that nothing would go wrong with this and that you should be fine afterwards." Continued Seth, soothingly rubbing her shoulders. "I asked if you trusted me so I would not have to worry about you as much; if you didn't then it would be more difficult."  
  
"I suppose..." said Sanura, yawning slightly.  
  
Seth smirked, noticing that Sanura was getting sleepy; as he planned in secret. "Oh, and one more thing. For your own safety, you won't be able to speak without hurting yourself. Until I see that you are fit enough to speak without your neck bothering you, you are to keep quiet."  
  
Sanura nodded barely, almost not even listening to a word the High Priest said. Seth waited a few minutes in silence, until Sanura had fallen asleep. He got up from the bed and picked her up in his arms.  
  
"How innocent you look yet you have strange talents," Said Seth as he pulled out of the doors open and walked out towards the room that he had prepared.  
  
After lightly laying the unconscious girl on the stone table, Seth carefully started the ritual; starting it with a thin knife with ink being picked up. 


	4. Limits

Chapter 4 – Limits  
  
[Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.]  
  
It took Seth nearly an hour or two at least to finish the last set of ink and to bandage up the neck of Sanura during that night. Though it had only been a few days, she was recovering quite nicely. Seth was walking through the courtyard in front of the palace, examining the ranks of guards that stood in front of him.  
  
"This is what the Pharaoh is allowing to participate?" He asked out loud, expecting no answers. "You there, straighten your back and hold your spear properly."  
  
The new recruit jumped nervously and did what he was told, keeping his gaze straightforward. Seth muttered under his breath and crossed his arms. He glanced up, only to hear some sort of a disagreement or a fight going on around one of the corners of the training area.  
  
He narrowed his eyes and took one last threatening glance at the ranks. "Go back to what you fools were doing..."  
  
And with that, he walked off towards the garden area. As soon as he rounded the bend, Sanura ran right into him, knocking herself back onto the ground. She scrambled back off and was about to run again when Seth grasped her shoulders tightly and pulled her back.  
  
"Why are you in such a hurry and where are the name scrolls as I requested?" He asked.  
  
"..."  
  
"Answer me. What in Ra's name were you doing?" Seth asked again, getting more impatient.  
  
Sanura pulled the requested scrolls out of the front of her robe when guard ran forward and yelled. "Hey! I'm going to beat you to the seven hells, you miserable wench!"  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Seth and lowered his fist.  
  
Seth raised his gaze and narrowed his eyes. "For one thing, you will not disrespect my slave unless I say otherwise. Second, I asked her to bring me the scrolls. Since the competition is arriving soon, and I am gathering the list of appropriate names... now if you don't mind, go back to what you were doing before I report you to the Pharaoh."  
  
The guard nodded gravely then quickly backed off, disappearing into the garden. Seth looked back at Sanura and took the scrolls from her.  
  
"...What exactly did you do?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
Sanura shook her head, clasping her hands behind her back.  
  
"...I know you can speak much better than the previous days. You're almost healed and I would like an answer." Another demanding gaze.  
  
"...He touched me so I... uh..." Sanura trailed off, trying to pull away from Seth as quickly as she could. "I was... getting the scrolls and he touched me on the shoulder so I turned around and struck him across the face."  
  
"..."  
  
"Then I ran as quickly as I could then ended up in this very spot." Sanura finished quickly, flicking her gaze away from Seth's.  
  
There was an awkward silence then Seth chuckled a bit. "That guard... Abasi... he's always been too serious about the slaves that the Pharaoh keeps around...I'll make sure to have a small chat with him later this day."  
  
Sanura stayed silent and handed Seth the scrolls and stood there, waiting for her next task. She followed him to where the other man still nervously stood in their ranks and silently watched Seth explain something to them.  
  
"As you all know, the deadline for entering yourselves in the competition is at sundown." He started off, opening one of the scrolls. "I trust that you have all signed your names on this scroll and if you have not, it is requested that you do if you wish to participate. Of course, this competition will be watched under the eyes of the Pharaoh himself and I so it would be wise for you all to look your best. The actual events start on the night of the new moon so prepare yourselves."  
  
After that short little speech, the High Priest took the other scroll and started walking back off towards the palace, reading over the inscriptions. Sanura looked at the ranks of trainees then ran off to catch up with her master.  
  
As they were past the hearing range of the other guards, Sanura spoke up quietly. "I...uhm... master."  
  
Seth stopped at the doorway and looked back at Sanura.  
  
"I would like to... would like to enter the competition as well." She said quietly, keeping her gaze down.  
  
Seth raised an eyebrow. "......Are you making a joke?"  
  
Sanura shook her head slowly.  
  
"...We'll speak about this later. For now, we are to accompany that bumbling idiot to where he said some of the stolen sacred items were." Seth answered.  
  
Sanura sighed quietly to herself and followed Seth back to his chambers to organize a few things before they left for the excursion. Almost a half hour later, the traveling group, consisting of the High Priest, his personal slave, a few palace guards and the strange man, set off towards the west by camelback.  
  
Seth sat silently, switching his gaze to the surrounding people from time to time. The strange man did look suspicious and Seth had a feeling that he was hiding something more than he told. He flicked his gaze over to Sanura and thought.  
  
'Why would she want to enter the competition... we've never allowed women to participate... not ever. It is very unlikely that she can even stand a chance with the first round of combat.' He thought to himself.  
  
Badru sat nervously on the back of the camel, tugging the collar of his robe nervously. If he didn't find the promised items for the Pharaoh, he would be put to death and he definitely did not want that.  
  
"It's a little too far to travel in one trip." He said tensely, cursing to himself as he looked back; receiving a cold glare from the High Priest and snapped his gaze back forward. "We'll have to stop in the next township."  
  
Seth stayed mostly silent and gave a nod towards the other guards.  
  
"Then we shall do that and if you disappear from any of us, you will be put to death." Announced one of the most sturdy of the four guards. "Do you understand?"  
  
Badru hunched over his shoulders a bit, almost wincing from the comment as if it were a lashing. "Completely..."  
  
By midday, the group of travelers had reached the next township that was almost full of merchants and artisans. Sanura glanced around, seemingly very interested of what there was in display. The three travelers left the guards to attend to the camels until they returned. Sanura stayed within a few feet distance from Seth and followed him wherever he went. Badru, having his expertise in stealing things, went around to each stand, glancing around as if he was interested and slipped a few items into his robes; not being seen apparently.  
  
Seth noticed some of the commoners staring at Sanura's feline tail and narrowed his eyes when they met his gaze. They quickly directed their gazes elsewhere and busied themselves of what the merchants had to offer. He spotted Badru running back towards the two and saw him run into Sanura.  
  
She turned around and narrowed her eyes. "Watch it..."  
  
Badru straightened his robes and looked around nervously. "Yeah, sorry about that cat woman."  
  
Sanura's eyes widened and she clamped her hand tightly around Badru's mouth, putting pressure on his jaw and she hissed. "Don't ever...-ever- call me that!"  
  
Badru nodded but not by much since his jaw was being pinched. Seth decided not to intervene but crossed his arms when Sanura did not let go.  
  
"You've made your point, now release him." He ordered, flicking his gaze to Sanura.  
  
She didn't make any move to back off and she increased the grip.  
  
"Sanura, I said enough!" Seth said more loudly, grabbing her wrist.  
  
Sanura pulled her hand back sharply and glared at Badru, growling.  
  
'What's wrong with her...' Seth thought.  
  
"Nothing's wrong with me!" Sanura almost snapped then slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes widening.  
  
A few other people stopped and stared from the quarrel that was going on and witnessed the strange girl snap at the High Priest. Sanura narrowed her eyes at Badru, ignoring the stares while being dragged back to where they left their transportation by the High Priest.  
  
"What are you doing!?" Seth hissed, keeping a firm grasp on Sanura's wrist.  
  
He growled and sharply grabbed Sanura's chin, seeing that she wasn't even looking at him and sharply turned her gaze to meet his.  
  
"I said...What in the hells was –that-!?" He growled again.  
  
Sanura lowered her gaze and removed her hand from her mouth, not replying. She felt awkwardness and humiliation go straight to her face and her cheeks reddened a bit.  
  
Seth sighed and crossed his arms. "You have to know your place... if I weren't so lenient towards you, you'd be receiving at least fifty lashings..."  
  
Sanura flinched visibly. "I'm sorry... it's just..."  
  
She paused and finished with a growl. "I don't enjoy being singled out because of my odd appearance..."  
  
"Don't fret over it. You can use all that built up rage during the competition... I'm sure the Pharaoh will be quite interested in the first female entry in any of the history of dynasties..." Seth said, looking in another direction.  
  
Sanura blinked and almost jumped from excitement. "...R-really??"  
  
Seth just nodded and started walking back to where the camels were resting. After the somewhat eventful rest, they were set out to a ridge with some hidden tombs that apparently had gotten broken into.  
  
"Now, where did you say that these items were?" Asked Seth sternly, standing in front of the broken-in tomb entrance.  
  
Badru sighed and walked into the crypt, still tugging at the collar of his robes nervously. 'If these things aren't still here, then I'm as good as dead...'  
  
Seth motioned Sanura to follow him with two guards and the other two remained outside. Sanura crossed her arms and flicked her gaze to the deeply carved hieroglyphs on the walls. She stopped, swearing that she could hear someone outside.  
  
'... Maybe it's just the guards...' She thought to herself, hunching her shoulders and continuing to follow the High Priest.  
  
She flicked her tail nervously and jogged up so she was inches from the group. She felt very uncomfortable and wanted to know why something felt so eerie. Seth looked at Sanura out of the corner of his eye then looked forward again.  
  
'Something's bothering her...'  
  
Badru stopped and moved a rock to the side, causing a few sennen items to fall into view. Seth's eyes widened. The tauk and the sennen eye were there, without a scratch. Seth flicked his hand towards the items and one of the guards walked over to gather them.  
  
"There, I gave you what I promised." Badru said plainly, almost whining. "Can I go free now?"  
  
Seth almost snorted in bitter humor. "You've avoided your demise, peasant. It is the Pharaoh's decision whether you can be released or not."  
  
"That is not fair-"  
  
"Life isn't fair. Now suck it up and get back outside. We must return these items immediately before they are stolen." Seth ordered, facing towards the tunnels that lead to the entrance.  
  
They had started forward and Sanura lingered a small distance back, looking at the stone floor while Badru ran up beside her.  
  
"What's the matter with you, eh?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Don't like the dead stuff?"  
  
Sanura placed one hand on the wall and stopped, feeling strands of her hair fall over her face as she shivered slightly.  
  
"The laughing..." She whispered to herself, barely audible to anyone else. "I can hear it..."  
  
"What'd you say? Come on, cat woman, speak up." Badru said again, scratching his head.  
  
Sanura clenched a fist that was on the wall and a small orange hue began to appear on the palm of her other hand. Badru backed off a bit but at the same time, he was curious of what was going on until he saw a fireball emerge from the glowing circle.  
  
"Heeey now! Let's not go frying the guy that just found those precious treasures now!" He said nervously, taking quicker steps backwards.  
  
Seth turned and his eyes widened a bit as he saw the fireball being shot at Badru and miss him by inches, scorching the ceiling above him.  
  
'... I will have to briefly speak to her and the Pharaoh about this...' He thought, walking towards Sanura.  
  
Sanura looked back over her shoulder at the dark end of the tomb and could swear that she saw a white haired man with what seemed to be another sennen item, glowing dully in the shadows. She blinked a few times and the figure was gone.  
  
"Hurry up." Seth said, grasping Sanura's shoulder. "We don't have time for fighting –again-..."  
  
Sanura swallowed nervously and followed close behind to the High Priest.  
  
'He was there...' She thought to herself, a chill running down her spine. 'He knows I can hear him...' 


	5. An Eye for An Eye

Chapter 5 – An eye for an eye  
  
[Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.]  
  
When the missing sacred items were brought before the Pharaoh, his eyes widened and he immediately stood up from his throne, walking towards the spot that they were placed.  
  
"You have proven your word, peasant..." Yami said, picking up the two items slowly and examining them carefully. "These are the sacred items that were stolen... but I have an unanswered question... How did you know that these items would be in that exact place..."  
  
Badru swallowed nervously, finding his feet quite interesting. "It was one of the... one of the treasure hideaways of the king of thieves..."  
  
Yami's eyes narrowed and closed his hands around the items. "Bakura..."  
  
There was some shouting from the garden and Yami raised his head, trying to hear what all the commotion was about. He walked forward to the balcony and looked out, seeing a dozen of his guards slain and Bakura standing in the garden with a few of his own allies, laughing manically.  
  
"Enjoy your anniversary present, Pharaoh!" Bakura chuckled deeply, pointing a cutlass about twenty feet in front of him.  
  
Yami lowered his gaze towards the pathway and his eyes widened, the pupils constricting to small dots. His right eyebrow twitched violently, unable to tear his gaze away from what he saw, while his face was twisted in an emotion of pure disgust and alarm. In the garden, lay the mummy of Yami's father, decorated completely in his jewelry and robes. Yami's mouth hung agape as he looked at the wrapped up body of his father that had died many years ago. Seth walked up from behind Yami and his own eyes widening slightly then turned a burning glare to Bakura, who took his time to walk out of the palace gates and gallop through the town on a black stallion. Sanura covered her mouth with one hand and turned away from the sight.  
  
Seth watched Bakura disappear into the view then looked back at Sanura. 'She probably can't take it...'  
  
But that was not true. Sanura wasn't hiding her face in fear or disgust... She was hiding the fact that she found the event quite funny and she had caught herself from laughing until she was lashed until her death. She couldn't help herself. She had always been an aggressive woman who enjoyed the misfortune of others... to a certain extent but she knew her place... She sighed slowly and closed her eyes, thinking back when she herself was having an awful time; being laughed at and excluded. She almost forced herself to cry from the thought of it and walked back into the palace; she could almost feel the humiliation and pain that the Pharaoh was going through. She couldn't tell the High Priest that she was insane enough to laugh at the Pharaoh's dead father laid out in the Egyptian sun. She couldn't. She had too much respect for him and the royal family to do something such as that... or did she.  
  
Yami retired to his chambers, saying nothing to any that he passed.  
  
Seth scowled, looking back in the garden. "We do not need this to happen..."  
  
He turned to one of the standing guards and shot him a glare. "You there... gather another dozen of your men and carefully... -carefully- remove the body from the garden... another sarcophagus will be made especially for the father of the Pharaoh... now go!"  
  
The guard almost jumped out of his skin and hurried down the hallway. Seth kept watch from the balcony until his request was taken out.  
  
'That was completely unorthodox...' Seth thought, narrowing his eyes at the garden. 'The Pharaoh does not need this type of event before his anniversary...hmph.'  
  
"Sanura," He said, turning around.  
  
Sanura quickly looked up, putting her hands back at her sides. "... Yes?"  
  
Seth inhaled slowly. "Go tend to the Pharaoh... if he is well enough, ask him when he would like the arrangements of another burial for the deceased..."  
  
Sanura's back stiffened but obeyed her orders as she walked down the hallway. She approached the door and knocked on it, getting no reply. She shifted uncomfortably, waiting for Yami to open the door for her or at least tell her to go away. Unintentionally, she heard something from the Pharaoh's own mind.  
  
'Ra damn that tomb robber!' Yami's mind seethed. 'He had no right breaking into my father's grave and removing his body from his resting place... That wench will pay dearly with his life for insulting my family name... Bakura is to be put through torture and to death before my day of my death bed...'  
  
Sanura's tail twitched nervously when she heard the Pharaoh shuffle across the room to the door.  
  
The door creaked open slowly and Yami stood there, almost glaring at Sanura. "What is it that you want, slave..."  
  
Sanura flinched slightly, and looked at the floor to avoid eye contact. "My master would like to ask when you would prefer the arrangements for the burial of the deceased, your highness..."  
  
Yami stayed silent with a burning stare that made Sanura very uncomfortable. "... Tell him that I will speak with him on a later time... at the moment, I have a task to attend to..."  
  
Sanura nodded, bowing slightly and hurried off before the Pharaoh said something else. Unfortunately for her, he did.  
  
"Wait a moment, slave..."  
  
Sanura stopped dead in her tracks and almost tipped over.  
  
"... I want to see you later for something important. I'll summon for you when I find it fit..." That was all Yami said before he brushed past her, his red cape trailing across the floor.  
  
Sanura gulped nervously and clenched her fists lightly. 'What does he want...'  
  
"Hey, it looks like you've seen a ghost or something." Badru said from peeking around a corner.  
  
Sanura flicked her gaze over to Badru uneasily. "... You could say that."  
  
"So," Badru walked out from hiding, arms folded behind his head. "What does he want now?"  
  
"I don't know but I really dislike the sound of it... He is angered and I'm not sure if he's going to take it out on me..." Sanura replied.  
  
Badru winced visibly. "Ouch... you're in for it."  
  
"That's not very comforting..." Sanura sighed.  
  
"Hey, Sanura!" Yelled Joseph from down the hallway. "Glad to see you're still alive!"  
  
Sanura looked over her should and saw Joseph walking towards them, pulling along a girl who was younger than him.  
  
Joseph grinned and put a hand on the shoulder of the dark brown reddish haired girl. "This 'ere is my sis, Seren."  
  
Sanura nodded in a greeting instead of shaking hands with her fellow slave.  
  
Seren smiled. "So you're the one that my big brother has been talking about. Unlike some of the other slaves around here, you are quite polite."  
  
Badru snorted, trying to cover it up and got a sharp glare from Sanura.  
  
"I suppose so..." Sanura shifted uncomfortably. "Listen, I have to go back to my master before he starts to wonder where I went off to."  
  
"Okay, see ya around, Sanura." Joseph said, giving a slight wave.  
  
"Nice meeting you!" Seren called back as Sanura continued down the hallway.  
  
Sanura walked around a corner and sighed heavily, leaning her back on the wall. 'I'm getting myself into more trouble somehow...'  
  
"Sanura." Seth called from down the hallway. "What are you doing? Come over here at once."  
  
Sanura looked up uneasily and hurried over to her master, bowing her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, master, I just got... side-tracked... my mind was elsewhere..."  
  
Seth crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "And what did the Pharaoh say?"  
  
"... What was he supposed to say, master?"  
  
"I had requested that you asked the Pharaoh when the dead was to be buried..." Seth said in a low tone.  
  
"Oh... I remember now..." Sanura said quietly, almost inaudibly. "He said that he would speak to you at a later time..."  
  
Seth nodded then caught his slave mumbling about something. "Is there something else you wish to speak to me about?"  
  
"... No, master. Everything is fine." Sanura added quickly. "Nothing else needs to be spoken about."  
  
"If you are certain..." Seth said warily. "Come now, we have much things to do..."  
  
"Seth." Yami's voice sounded down the hallway. "I would like to finish the arrangements of the burial..."  
  
Seth nodded, starting to walk over to where the Pharaoh was.  
  
'That was quick...' Sanura thought, only to be interrupted by reality.  
  
"And bring your slave with you..."  
  
Sanura froze, looking up at her master.  
  
"Just go along, Sanura." Seth said quietly. "Come now, do as the Pharaoh bids."  
  
Sanura swallowed hard, trailing behind her master as they were led to a large chamber, with a single door on one of the walls.  
  
"Seth, leave your slave in that room until we are done discussing the matters of what occurred earlier..." Yami said, not looking back.  
  
"As you wish, Pharaoh." Seth said, glancing back at Sanura and shooing her off to the side-room.  
  
Sanura stumbled in and the wooden door creaked shut and landed on her knees. She glanced around and found the room rather... empty, to say in the very least. There was a table, with a few pillows and she decided that the pillows would be much softer than the hard floor. She was sitting on the pillows and waited for quite a while. An hour had passed and she could see in the window that the sun was setting in the Egyptian sky and the orange light flooded in. She noticed something in one of the corner of the rooms that was not there before and she leaned over the table a bit to get a better look.  
  
'Is that a person...' She wondered.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when the door was open and the Pharaoh stepped in alone and shut it behind him. Sanura immediately sat back and averted her gaze to the window, almost blinding herself from the sun.  
  
"My High Priest has told me that you wish to enter the competition........." Yami said, sitting down cross-legged on one of the pillows on the opposite side of the table.  
  
"... Y-yes, my Pharaoh..." Sanura said quietly, looking down at her hands. "... I want to enter the competition..."  
  
Yami snapped his fingers and put his hands back on his knees. "Then before that happens, I would have to ask you to cooperate..."  
  
Sanura looked up, hearing someone shuffling across the floor and a white- robed man stepped out into the orange light. As soon as Sanura met the strange green bluish gaze of the unknown person, her hair almost bristled as if it was cat's fur and she growled threateningly. The pupils of her crimson violet gaze were constricted and she bared her teeth, showing the animal fangs.  
  
"Calm yourself." Yami commanded in a stern tone. "You are to sit and answer my questions when I pose them."  
  
Sanura sat back on her knees with her head partly bowed but she shot a hard glare at the new individual through the strands of her hair that had fallen over her face. 'I can't hear his thoughts...'  
  
"Correct." The mysterious man said, the sacred item that was shaped like an ankh hung around his neck.  
  
Sanura's shoulders twitched slightly but she kept quiet.  
  
"There is nothing for you to worry about if you have nothing to hide." Yami stated calmly, turning his half-lidded gaze to Shadi. "I'm simply going to ask you a few questions concerning the item that you possess and why you wish to join the competition..."  
  
Sanura hissed through clenched teeth, her gaze glued on Shadi. "You..."  
  
"Or perhaps you are hiding something..." Yami continued, taking note of Sanura's behavior.  
  
The eye of Horus on the necklace started to glow gold.  
  
"Sanura." Yami kept an even tone, not flinching.  
  
Sanura's eye started twitching, starting to sit up and not paying heed to the Pharaoh's words.  
  
"SIT DOWN!" Yami yelled, slamming a fist on the table.  
  
Sanura's tense muscles relaxed immediately and she sat back down on her knees, keeping her gaze towards the table from angering the Pharaoh.  
  
"You are a violent one, aren't you..." Questioned Yami. "It is obvious since the first time you were brought here... from what I have been told you back- handed one of my guards, close to breaking the jaw of the strange man who retrieved the sacred items and snapped back at my High Priest... And now this... almost resorting to use the power that is bestowed in that item of yours..." He lowered his gaze to the eye of Horus on the end of the necklace. "Very... violent. This will cost you."  
  
Sanura snapped her eyes up but not making eye contact with the Pharaoh.  
  
"My advisor will discover what you are truly like, slave..." Yami explained further, nodding once. "You will cooperate, whether you think so or not..."  
  
[Chapter a tad shorter.] 


	6. Asking

Chapter 6 - Asking  
  
[... Wow. People actually like this story? ... Dear Ra, I'm seriously  
taken aback... Thanks guys... Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh]  
  
Yami watched intently as Shadi removed the sennen scales from his robes and placed it on the table, as well as taking a single feather and resting it on one side of the scales.  
  
"Now, this shall be simple and straightforward to understand." Shadi said in a calm even tone. "The empty side of the scale represents the weight of your heart... since the High Priest has asked the Pharaoh not to involve any dangerous shadow powers I shall not submit you to them. The procedure is simple. The Pharaoh will ask you questions instead of me and if you lie about any sins, your side of the scale shall start to drop with each question. Until the side of the scale touches the table or the Pharaoh has asked you the sufficient amount of questions with your heart baring heavy, it is up to him to decide what to do with you."  
  
"That includes the competition as well..." Yami said, looking over the form of the scales with his partly narrowed gaze. "There is nothing really to be worried about, Sanura... as long as you tell the truth and keep your temper down, you shall be fine..."  
  
Sanura swallowed hard, hunching down a little as she looked at the almost frozen scales.  
  
Yami raised his eyes and took note of Sanura's discomfort. "Shadi, you may continue."  
  
"As you wish, Pharaoh..." Shadi nodded his head once then focused his gaze back on the one to be judged. "If your heart weighs even or lighter than the feather..."  
  
Sanura clasped her hands tightly. '... That's quite unlikely...'  
  
"Then, in other words, you pass..." Shadi concluded, adding one more comment. "Now if this was with the use of shadow magic then your life would be on the line, dear girl... if your heart weight more than the feather then you would be sent into the ultimate abyss of hell... if your heart was lighter, then you would have been freed to go... Shall we begin, Pharaoh?"  
  
Yami nodded. "Sanura, respond with yes or no to these questions unless I ask for specific details... If you cannot answer the question at the moment then I will return to it..."  
  
Sanura sighed unsteadily, feeling her own heart in her chest get heavier with anxiety as she was being stared upon.  
  
"You know at least minimal information on the sacred items, do you not?" Yami started off.  
  
"... Yes." Sanura said nervously, her own voice shaking as her hands trembled slightly.  
  
"As my High Priest has told me... you have the strange ability of hearing the thoughts of others without the use of your... item. Is that true?" Yami sounded more interested with this question as he leaned in slightly.  
  
"... I... uhm..." Sanura fumbled with her words. "... Yes, it is true..."  
  
Yami raised an eyebrow slowly, pursuing further with the topic. "Were you able to use that ability before or after you got hold of the sennen item..."  
  
"Before," Sanura said a bit more confidently but then could feel the interested gaze from the Pharaoh.  
  
Yami's eyes drifted down to the scale as it shifted very slightly, but just to regain its even balance. "What is my name... and for reassurance, what shadow monster am I thinking of at the moment..."  
  
Sanura closed her eyes, as if wincing from a lash as she said her response carefully and hoped to the gods that she wouldn't be punished for knowing. "Your name... your... name... As the Pharaoh of Egypt, your name is Yami and you're mind is set on the Dark Magician at the moment..."  
  
She heard Yami inhale sharply and she opened her eyes, daring to look at him. Yami just stared back at Sanura, partially in shock. Sanura's face started heating up slightly and she quickly looked back at her hands, not liking the idea of the Pharaoh staring at her. Yami propped his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers together, resting his chin on his hands as he thought of the spectacle that just occurred.  
  
"Tell me, just where do you come from..." Yami asked in a quieter voice, staying focused on the personal attendant of the High Priest.  
  
Sanura's back stiffed immediately as her eyes darted around in worry. "... I-I can't answer that question..."  
  
The scales shifted slightly, the feather side raising.  
  
"You can't or you won't?" Yami asked again, keeping his voice steady, but pitched lower.  
  
Sanura shook her head slowly. "I can't... I can't tell you. Please, don't force me to say it..."  
  
"Sanura..." Yami's eyes darted over to the scales as they shifted again.  
  
"I..." Sanura felt like her tongue was tied in her mouth, she couldn't bring herself to say it; she was forbidden to. "... can't..."  
  
"Where are your parents..." Yami switched to another question temporarily.  
  
"... I cannot answer that question either." Sanura said, the nervous feeling returning with twice the force and she bowed her head. "Please... let me go back to my master..."  
  
"Either you give me the answer or I will allow Shadi to extract the answer from you against your will." Yami stated firmly.  
  
"I cannot tell you where I was born... I'm forbidden to..." Sanura lowered her eyes. "My parents are..."  
  
"Are..." Yami pressured further.  
  
Sanura swallowed nervously. "Dead... I killed them..."  
  
Yami slowly traced his eyes over to the scales, seeing them shift more and looked back at Sanura. "And what was the reason for this slaughter?"  
  
"It... was..." Sanura shook her head, speaking more quickly and more in panic. "I didn't mean to, they were pressuring me to fight, and I didn't want to! They wanted me to use all sorts of magic for sacrifices and destroy things so I wouldn't be off with my magical abilities if I ever was attacked by the lingering sorceresses or shadow monsters if they ever came up, please, Pharaoh, don't punish me for this, I'm really sorry, please!"  
  
Yami tilted his head slightly, his chin still resting on his hands as he listened more with his eyes trained on Sanura's face without unease. "Sanura, calm down."  
  
"Then one day I just got sick of it and killed them, killed them with my magic and killed them with this cursed item that they gave me after getting it from this Ra forsaken thief and I know he's here and I know he's after something and I would never plan anything against the kingdom, honest! Please don't punish me, Pharaoh! Please, I'll do anything!" Sanura felt hot stinging tears slide down her face as she thought of the punishments that she could receive; even death. "I can't say where I'm from because if I do, I'll surely die. Anyone who said the place, they would be killed by the person who gave the elders the curse. They made sure of that for every inhabitant in-" Her breath caught in her throat suddenly, stopping her breathing.  
  
Yami sat up, looking at Sanura with puzzlement. "Is something wrong?"  
  
Sanura could feel her blood vessels burning for air as she couldn't get herself to breathe again. He was here, he knew she almost said it, Sanura could feel it. The one that gave her parents the item for a hefty price, the one who was laughing in the cave, the one who was in the courtyard...  
  
Yami furrowed his eyebrows, keeping his eyes on the slave while he could feel a dark presence lingering just outside the window, maybe even the palace gates. "Don't bother saying the place. If it helps slightly, don't think about it, I understand."  
  
The Pharaoh didn't completely understand, but it was enough reassurance to calm the slave down slightly. Sanura covered her face and shook her head, taking deep struggled breaths but was still having harder time breathing.  
  
"Sanura, calm yourself right now." Yami ordered, standing up cautiously. "I only have a few questions to ask then you may return to the High Priest."  
  
Sanura nodded her head a bit, feeling dizzy from the lack of oxygen to her brain.  
  
"Have you always been violent from that point on?" Yami asked, crossing his arms.  
  
Sanura nodded again, her breathing calming much more than it had been a moment ago. "I can't change it... I'm sorry..."  
  
She heard the scales shift but she didn't know which way it was weighing because she kept her eyes covered until the dizziness was to go away.  
  
Yami stayed silent, looking upon the girl until he found the right question. "Will you be violent towards anyone within the vicinity of this palace? As in the palace guards, lower level slaves or anyone who resides here, including the High Priest and myself..."  
  
Sanura lowered her hands, looking at the Pharaoh fretfully. "I won't... I'll try my best, I swear upon the holy gods of Egypt..."  
  
Shadi looked down at the scales and they had evened out. "Your heart is not lighter than the feather, therefore you are not entirely innocent as we have noted... but since they are level..."  
  
Yami shifted his gaze to the darkened window. "You are still permitted to enter the competition but I shall call you to discuss the unusual rules that apply to you... Keep your temper down and I should have not have a problem with you... You are dismissed."  
  
Sanura bowed quickly, getting up and walking out of the room in a hurry. She felt scared, more scared than she ever had felt; and that was the Pharaoh being extremely gentle. She was on the edge of impending doom and her life residing here. She tripped a bit and stumbled into the doors that led to the High Priest's room, slamming them open and falling forward. Seth stood up from delicately writing on papyrus and walked forward.  
  
"Sanura?" He questioned, kneeling down and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Go sit on the bed and we'll talk."  
  
Seth got up, glanced down the depths of the hallways for anyone before slowly closing the doors to his chambers. He walked back to the bed and sat down by Sanura, studying her curiously.  
  
"And how did the judgment go?" Seth asked firstly.  
  
Sanura sat on the bed, her arms hugging herself as she looked down at the floor. "... He kept questioning about personal things... he knows about my odd ability to hear people's thoughts and it shocked him so much... He asked more questions then let me go..."  
  
"Then why are you so worried?" Seth raised an eyebrow. "According to what you've told me, you have passed the test... you've got to calm down, Sanura."  
  
Seth continued to watch Sanura, noticing that she kept flicking her gaze away each time she made eye contact with him.  
  
He hesitated slightly, not knowing what to. "Sanura, come here."  
  
He reached over and gently pulled her over with a hug, gently resting his chin on her head. He hesitantly patted Sanura's shoulder, looking towards the base of the door of his chambers.  
  
"It's okay, you're fine now..." He said. "There's no need to get yourself worked up over it..."  
  
He continued to comfort her until she eventually fell asleep and carefully lay her down on the bed, lying beside her on his side and watched her slumber. Later during the night, Sanura woke up from a slightly fitful sleep and opened her eyes, looking around her left side then shift her gaze to her right, seeing the High Priest seemingly sleeping beside her. She sighed slowly, closing her eyes again and hearing the calm breathing of her master as he slept but she was mistaken. She felt the bed move slightly as a hand lightly caressed her cheek and she opened her eyes again, looking at the High Priest. Seth had his left elbow propped up on the bed and rested the side of his head on his hand, somewhat propping his upper body up from the bed and he looked at his personal attendant, shifting his cold hard sapphire gaze across her facial features.  
  
"Do you feel better?" Seth asked, resting the palm of his hand on Sanura's cheek.  
  
Sanura nodded slightly, shifting her gaze away to the silk blankets. She started to blush and she mentally kicked herself, knowing that the High Priest would be able to feel it through his hand.  
  
"That's good..." Seth said quietly, brushing a few strands of hair out of Sanura's eyes.  
  
'W-what is he doing...' Sanura thought, looking up and meeting Seth's gaze.  
  
She started to sit up but Seth put a hand on her shoulder. "No, it's alright. Stay."  
  
Sanura nervously lay back down on the bed and she nearly jumped out of her skin when Seth leaned over and looked down at her with wonder.  
  
"What are you thinking..." Seth asked softly, placing his hand back on her cheek. "You're a very complicated one..."  
  
"Nothing... master." Sanura quickly added on, remembering that she forgot to refer to Seth as 'master' earlier.  
  
Seth shook his head slightly. "You only need to call me that unless I say otherwise... and you don't have to right now..."  
  
The blushing had worsened on Sanura's face and she sat up on the edge of the bed, against her master's wishes. She glanced back at Seth out of the corner of her eye, finding him watching her as he draped his other arm across his stomach. Sanura snapped her gaze forward again, her blush starting to irritate her and she could still feel the High Priest's gaze on her back but not as threatening as when she first met him.  
  
"You worry quite a bit for someone who works under the roof of the Pharaoh's palace..." Seth said out loud. "It is best to focus your thoughts for tomorrow... I request for you to help me record the names of the selected group to enter the competition..."  
  
Sanura nodded slightly, feeling a little skittish as Seth sat up slightly, placing a hand on her arm.  
  
"There's nothing to be frightened about unless I tell you there is... understand? If you continue to worry like you are, you will get yourself sick..." Seth said, withdrawing his arm and brushed his brunette bangs out of his eyes.  
  
Sanura sighed agitatedly and lay at the base of the bed, allowing the High Priest to have the pillows as she had done the previous times of sleeping in his chambers. She closed her eyes and then felt a pair of hands pull her back so she was at the same level as Seth.  
  
"You would definitely be more comfortable up here than at the edge..." Seth said.  
  
Sanura lowered her eyes, nodding very slightly. Seth frowned and gently tilted Sanura's head up.  
  
"It is quite troubling to see you look sad..." Seth said, lightly rubbing his thumb over her cheek. "Sometimes you must relax and not make yourself look unhappy..."  
  
Sanura was not prepared at what came next as she turned her gaze away, feeling Seth take his other hand, holding her hand and leaned down, kissing her gently. Sanura's face flushed up quite noticeably and her eyes darted around the High Priest's face when he pulled back slightly.  
  
'Is he playing some sort of gag?' She thought, looking down at their linked hands.  
  
Sanura swallowed nervously, feeling her heart as if it was going to crack her ribs as she slowly took her freehand and rested it on the side of Seth's face, looking at him with much nervousness. Seth leaned into the touch appreciatively, closing his eyes. Sanura hesitantly leaned forward towards the High Priest and their lips made light contact, softly brushing before the full shock of reality set in.  
  
'... Is this what he wanted?' Sanura questioned as she sat back on her knees, trying to hide her blushing.  
  
Seth was obviously uncomfortable from his own actions and held Sanura's hand with both of his as he spoke softly. "The markings on your neck symbolize that you are officially under my rule but it also marks you as mine..."  
  
"... Yours?" Sanura asked before she could stop herself.  
  
"Yes, mine..." Seth said. "No one will touch you... they know what it means..."  
  
Sanura placed her other hand on Seth's, looking up at him a little less fearfully than she had when she first arrived. "Then... I'm yours to keep..."  
  
Seth loosened his grip, glancing at the window slightly. "Dawn is approaching... it is best if you get your rest now. Tomorrow will be a long day."  
  
Sanura lied back on the pillows, closing her eyes and wishing that she fell asleep before anything else happened. She felt Seth lie down close beside her, preparing to sleep himself but Sanura still felt quite nervous. She had never let anyone -touch- her, nonetheless kiss her. Though she had to admit that the High Priest was indeed gentle yet attractive as well.  
  
"Sleep well, kitten...." Seth said quietly.  
  
Sanura opened her eyes, darting her gaze over to the High Priest. No one had called her that since she was a little child. Only her father called her his kitten because of her name and what she was. She only found that Seth had already closed his eyes, his brunette hair fallen over his eyelids and he looked so peaceful, not like the ruthless priest that others had claimed him to be. He was almost...  
  
'Loving....' Sanura thought as she barely touched Seth's face with the edge of her fingers.  
  
Seth opened one eye a bit, taking his own hand and placing it on Sanura's. "Go to sleep..."  
  
"Sorry..." Sanura apologized quietly and closed her eyes, feeling Seth's warm hand holding her own.  
  
[And that's why they call it romance. I found that typing took a little repetitive so hopefully that won't effect the reading of this...] 


	7. The First Test and the King of Thieves

Chapter 7 - The First Test and the King of Thieves  
  
[Disclaimer: Own nothing of Yu-Gi-Oh.]  
  
The reburial of Yami's father took place at dawn and the only ones that attended it were the Pharaoh himself, The High Priest, the other priests and the advisors. It was a private burial and after it was completed and blessed by the High Priest, Yami had disappeared somewhere within the palace gates to think to himself.  
  
Midway through the morning, Seth walked around the training area inside the palace gates and looked at the nervous group of men who wished to enter the fighting competition. "When I ask, state your name and rank... You there."  
  
A nervous looking guard straightened his shoulders slightly and stated his rank, while Sanura recorded in ink what the man had said on the papyrus scroll. After about a dozen names were called, Seth left Sanura at the edge of the training area while he fetched the Pharaoh. The guard that was giving Sanura a hard time before returned, looking quite smug as he looked down upon the girl.  
  
"Well, well, if it isn't the little wench that was taken in by the High Priest..." Abasi sneered.  
  
"Get back in your rank." Sanura simply stated, looking down over the names on the papyrus.  
  
"Oh, so you think in that little skull of yours that you can tell me what to do?" Growled the guard, grabbing the collar of Sanura's robes. "You just wait, when you least expect it, you're going to get what you deserve, you low-life slave..."  
  
Abasi let go and walked back to his place just as he spotted the Pharaoh and High Priest walking from the gardens. All the men stayed silent and kept their eyes forward as the Pharaoh walked forward with his hands clasped calmly behind his back.  
  
"As you know..." Yami said smoothly, sweeping his eyes across the ranks that stood before him. "Only a specific number of participants have been allowed each year and you are all selected from the testing that you went through... This year shall be different and I'm sure that it will be interesting..."  
  
Sanura handed the list to the Pharaoh and backed up a few paces, standing behind Seth and keeping her gaze towards the ground.  
  
"The rules will slightly be changed for this competition... this time there shall be a female competitor and that does not mean that the fighting rules will change... No mercy is expected of you against the female competitor..." Yami calmly shifted his gaze to Sanura. "As a foretaste of this competitor's skill, I ask that one of you step up..."  
  
Abasi grit his teeth, getting the general idea that the Pharaoh was talking about Sanura then he stepped forward. "I will aid, my Pharaoh."  
  
Yami nodded. "Fetch yourself a spear and Seth, remove the necklace from her for the moment."  
  
Seth held his hand out at Sanura, receiving the necklace that was secretly a bladed weapon in its disguised form. Sanura took one of the spears from the pile at the side and felt the difference between the weapons she was used to wielding and the one that she was to use now.  
  
"You two may begin until one of you is down at spear point or I ask of you to stop." Yami said, stepping off to the sides of the training ring with Seth.  
  
Abasi smirked arrogantly, gripping the spear with both hands as he slowly walked a circle around Sanura, who watched her opponent. She glanced at the High Priest and the Pharaoh.  
  
'No violence towards them... except inside of the competition and I suppose when the Pharaoh asks for it...' Sanura thought to herself as she heard Abasi stab at her from behind.  
  
Sanura ducked down swiftly and jabbed the back of the spear into Abasi's armor, pushing him back slightly. The two continued fighting, almost but barely matching move for move and the fight got more deadly with aim towards vital areas. Sanura slid back a step or two, enjoying the feel of the combat as she tried to restrain herself from visibly smirking from Abasi's frustration.  
  
'Worthless wench!' His mind rung out as he glared hatefully at Sanura. 'Just wait until the competition, then she is doomed to her grave...'  
  
A slight breeze picked up, whisking sand around the training area as the two charged at each other, ending up with the spear points pressed at each other's throats. Abasi narrowed his eyes at Sanura who kept her gaze solemn.  
  
"Save the rest of your skills for the actual fighting that will take place soon, at the setting of the sun and the rise of the night, the competition shall be underway..." Yami interjected. "Like I had stated before, and if you did not hear it, no mercy is expected for this girl or from her. Fight her as if she was one of your own ranks. I will enjoy witnessing what skills you have all built up during the seasons."  
  
Abasi scowled pushing the spear so Sanura tripped back a few steps and went back to the ranks of silent men. He was going to get his revenge on the High Priest's slave and he wasn't going to let her ruin his chance for being the winner of the combat contest once again. Sanura dropped the spear back in the pile and reclaimed her gold necklace from the High Priest, putting it back around her neck.  
  
"You have the rest of the day to prepare yourselves in any need you see fit." Yami said as he turned away. "You are dismissed from your ranks and have the remainder of daylight."  
  
Most of the guards and participants scattered away from the area while a few stayed behind, giving Abasi odd looks until they were glared at from the general of the palace guards.  
  
Seth looked down at Sanura. "The Pharaoh is going to speak to me about the final details of this combat test this year, since the rules are slightly changed. I do not need you for a while so you may wander around the palace grounds but keep in touch with at least one guard at all times. You are not to leave the perimeters of this place and I will call for you when I request your presence."  
  
Sanura nodded, watching the High Priest walk off with the Pharaoh back into the interior of the palace. She glanced around and left the training area, starting to explore the surrounding places inside the palace gates, and then she entered the garden and saw a large pool of water with some flowers seemingly floating on it. Sanura walked up to the edge, sitting on it and hesitantly reaching over to pick up one of the white flora. Her hand stopped halfway when she noticed another form standing at the edge of the round pool, watching her. She pulled her hand back to the side of the pool and looked up, seeing no one there.  
  
"Looking for me?" Asked a low voice right behind Sanura. "It's been a while, kitten."  
  
Sanura stood up and turned around quickly; coming face to face with the one she dreaded most. Bakura, the King of Thieves, stood in front of her, his slightly spiky ghost white hair ruffled somewhat as he shook his head slightly. He wore a deep burgundy cloak that was not tied nor buttoned closed, showing the white robes he wore underneath and exposing his darkly tanned skin. Sanura raised her eyes to Bakura's tan face, seeing the deep scar that was on his right cheek, leading to his dangerous looking brown eyes.  
  
"Mast-" Bakura slapped a rough hand over Sanura's mouth before she could yell out for anyone.  
  
"Let's take a walk, shall we?" Bakura said, draping an arm over Sanura's shoulder and leading her away from anyone's sight. "We have so much to catch up on since the last time I saw you... such a small little girl has grown so much over these years."  
  
Sanura moved her head away so she could speak, feeling Bakura's hand holding her throat if she were to call for one of the palace guards. "Let me go, I don't know what in Ra's name you're talking about!"  
  
"You don't entirely remember me, do you... you only know what you've heard about me..." Bakura said mysteriously. "And you're such a bad liar..."  
  
Sanura tried to duck down but Bakura's grip snapped shut, constricting her throat. She winced and stood back up. "Let me go, Ra damn it!"  
  
"Saying Ra's name in vain once again, kitten? And it seems you have new marks on your little neck..." Bakura smirked, watching Sanura's face with his half-lidded gaze as he gently stroked the inked hieroglyphics with callused fingers. "Such a bad habit... how do you think the Pharaoh liked my little anniversary present for him..."  
  
Sanura stayed silent, not wanting to answer it.  
  
"Oh come on..." Bakura purred, leaning in until he was inches from her face. "I'm sure you enjoyed watching his highness squirm in disgust..."  
  
Sanura turned her head away, shutting her eyes and pushing Bakura's face back with one hand. "I will not admit to anything... I have to get back to my master..."  
  
Bakura chuckled deeply, shaking his head slightly as he grasped Sanura's hand and twisted her arm behind her back, earning a pained screech. "Now, now... it's not nice for telling me to go away like that..."  
  
Sanura felt Bakura slide something into her hand and close her fingers around it.  
  
Bakura leaned forward, whispering into her ear. "Don't open it until you're alone before the competition, my dear kitten... let's just say it's a gift from an old friend... and your master is calling your name..."  
  
Sanura cringed slightly, almost feeling the evil smirk in the thief's voice. She felt him let go and turned around, watching him back off into the shadows in a mock bow as the evil smirk was still shown on his tanned face.  
  
"Sanura!" Seth's voice broke through her thoughts; how long had he been calling? "Where are you?"  
  
Sanura blinked a few times, looking back towards where the voice was coming from. She wondered how long she had been standing there for and jogged over to where her master's voice was calling.  
  
"There you are." Seth said, looking a tad worried. "I have been looking for you for quite a bit. What were you doing?"  
  
"I was..." Sanura tightened her grip on the object that she hid behind her back in her hand. "... I dozed off in the sun, I'm very sorry..."  
  
Seth seemed to let out a soft sigh of relief. "There was word of the thief returning to the interior of the palace gates. Did you see him?"  
  
"... No, master." Sanura replied uneasily, lowering her gaze to her feet.  
  
She tensed slightly when she saw the High Priest take half a step forward. "... Why is your neck reddened..."  
  
Sanura's eyes snapped up towards Seth, her thoughts in a panic. '... He bruised my neck! I can't tell him that the king of thieves found me...'  
  
Seth raised an eyebrow. "We shall discuss it later... the pharaoh had gone through the rules with me and he requests the presence of us both in the throne room..."  
  
'Later...' Sanura thought, relieved. 'Later is almost sufficient...'  
  
"Did you hear me?" Seth said again. "Is something wrong? Perhaps you caught an illness... You seem to be very distracted or not paying attention to anything..."  
  
Sanura shook her head frantically. "No, no, master... it's fine."  
  
Seth was curious on why Sanura was acting so oddly but decided not to pursue further. He started walking back towards the interior of the palace and Sanura followed like an obedient one should, keeping her head down. Yami was waiting for them in the throne room but he was not sitting down as Sanura had previously seen him.  
  
"Ah, so you have arrived. Wonderful." Yami said, smiling slightly. "Well then, Sanura. The competition this evening is just, shall we say, friendly. Seth and I agreed that you may not use your item during the rounds, since it may prove danger to the other competitors and have yet to find out what the extents of its power is. You will be using spears just like the others yet you will be wearing no armor."  
  
Sanura raised her gaze a bit, glancing at the Pharaoh. "No armor, Pharaoh?"  
  
"That is what I just said." Yami answered. "Since you are one of the first female entries, the regulations cannot be changed right away. Do not worry yourself though. If I find the match unfair, I shall stop it. That goes for every round of the competition with exception of the final one. That is determined by skill, not by my word or Seth's interjecting."  
  
Sanura's eyebrow twitched slightly as she misheard what the Pharaoh was saying. 'Is he lowering the standards just because I'm a girl?'  
  
"As the men of my palace security have the rest of the day to prepare themselves, I grant you the same leisure if that is alright with the High Priest." Yami said, moving his gaze over to Seth, receiving a nod as a reply. "Then it is settled. I hope this will turn out well for all that have signed up."  
  
Sanura clenched her hands a bit more tightly and bowed, backing out of the room until she was in the hallway.  
  
Seth turned to follow but Yami's voice called out. "Seth, a moment please."  
  
Seth looked back, wondering why the Pharaoh's voice had suddenly gone dead serious. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Yes, there is. There is a reason that I do not want her to use that item, since we know so little about it." Yami said in a low-tone, crossing his arms over his chest. "From the confession that she had made, Sanura had murdered her parents and seemed a bit touchy about the subject." He watched as Seth's face was in shock. "She is a user of black or shadow magic as well but not entirely a full-fledged sorceress, yet again I fear that she may one of those rebellious types that can harness powerful magic to destroy people and places. I would like you to keep a very sharp eye on her, Seth. The last thing we need is a threat coming from within the palace itself."  
  
Seth nodded silently, his mind contemplating from what he just heard. Sanura walked down the hallway, ignoring any of her new acquaintances' calls and ducked over to a balcony, leaning on it. She glanced around with her eyes to see if anyone was watching and took her hands from behind her back, opening them and finding a thick piece of papyrus folded many times, tied together with coarse twine. She looked at it in wonder as she removed the string and unfolded the papyrus, reading:  
  
'Almost revealing where you originated from, didn't you, kitten? Such a shame that you almost forgot the little catch to it... If you say the name of the place, you die. But onto more pressing matters. From what I heard, those impudent palace guards are giving you a hard time, are they not? Well let me help you out...'  
  
Sanura blinked, looking at the paper as the bottom half of it was blank. "... There's nothing..."  
  
Then words started to bleed into the page in dark ink: 'By daylight of next day, a price shall be paid.'  
  
Sanura in took a breath uneasily; not liking the line and more yet appeared.  
  
"Hey, what are you doing out here?" A voice called out, causing Sanura to crush the papyrus in her hand. "Did you hear me?"  
  
Sanura turned around, taking a glance at one of the palace guards.  
  
"You're not supposed to be up here! Go on, get!" The guard said again, pointing to the hall.  
  
Sanura ducked away from the balcony and down the hallway, feeling something dripping down her hand. She looked down and it seemed like her hand was bleeding profusely. She raised her eyebrows and put her hand in front of her face, looking at what seemed to be blood dripping down her arm.  
  
"It's warm..." She said to herself as she slowly unclenched her hand.  
  
The note was gone, only leaving blood. The blood was fresh; there was no doubt about it from its sharp smell. Where did the King of Thieves get the blood and how did he make the note disappear? Sanura didn't know but immediately hid her hands behind her back when Seth strode down the hallway.  
  
"Sanura, is something wrong? You're very, very edgy today." He said a little more suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing's wrong, master. Just..." Sanura paused then thought of a quick fib. "Just uneasy about what should happen during the combat tonight, master."  
  
Seth nodded slightly but still looked at her like she was hiding something. "If you say so."  
  
Sanura nodded quickly and stood in silence awkwardly as her master's stare kept bothering her.  
  
[This is just a useless detail at the end of this chapter but what I'm sort of doing for this story is saying that the stolen scared items aren't numbered by eight. I'm more or less keeping it open to other fan fiction writers for this type of so I'm not officially saying that my made up item is the last one and blah blah blah. Just clearing that up so people don't start hacking on me about it and to cause less trouble I suppose. Anyway, this chapter was sitting here and just a tad shorter than they usually are... Sorry about that and I hope you still like this weird story.] 


End file.
